Portland, Oregon, business owners have expressed their concerns about the city’s worsening crime crisis and are calling on federal authorities for support as President Donald Trump continues his efforts to deploy National Guard troops. These troops, they argue, could help restore order and draw attention to the challenges faced by local businesses. The situation has also sparked debates over the role of federal intervention in local governance, particularly amid legal obstacles to the deployment of these forces.
Amy Nichols, a local business owner, has reported being a victim of ten break-ins, which she says has made it increasingly difficult to operate her business. She voiced her support for the president’s plans to keep National Guard troops in Portland, believing that this measure might finally bring the city’s leaders to prioritize public safety. In an interview with Fox & Friends First, she stated: “Something needs to be done, and if this is what we need to do to get our leaders paying attention to what’s happening in Portland, then I think it’s a good thing.”
Loretta Guzman, who owns Bison Coffeehouse, has also experienced the consequences of crime firsthand. She described having been attacked by criminals who shattered her windows and even faced a life-threatening situation when her nephew was shot. While the immediate response to the incident was delayed, she remains concerned about the lack of public safety measures in the city. “I tried to go get my car so I could try to save him, and people were standing around when I pulled up next to his car and nobody would help me lift him,” she recounted. Her nephew, who weighed approximately 240 pounds, was too heavy for her to lift into the vehicle to transport for medical attention. “So he ended up dying with me praying on him,” she said.
Though Guzman is skeptical that federal troops will directly impact the city’s businesses, she believes they might help secure federal buildings and offer a measure of protection. “I don’t think it’ll affect us, our businesses. We already struggle every day, every week with the crime and the drugs and the unsafeness that comes with being here in our city right now.”
The situation has also raised broader concerns about how local leaders are addressing the city’s safety issues. Some have criticized the local government for abandoning public safety in favor of other priorities. Meanwhile, the continued legal fight over the deployment of National Guard troops underscores the divided nature of the political climate surrounding such interventions in urban centers. As the debate over the role of federal forces in Portland persists, the experiences of these business owners highlight the deeply personal impact of the city’s ongoing crisis.